Managing and mitigating research security risks.
Safeguarding Research
International research partnerships and collaborations facilitate discovery and innovation, increase participant diversity and reinforce the validity of study findings. These collaborations are vital to UHN’s ability to achieve its research mission to together drive excellence in discovery and innovation to create A Healthier World.
However, given the geopolitical climate, some partnerships may come with risks related to theft, interference, or misuse of the research outputs. It is important that UHN researchers understand and mitigate against these risks.
To help safeguard Canadian research, the Government of Canada and Government of Ontario have developed a series of policies and guidelines to address research security concerns.
What is Research Security?
Research security refers to the measures taken to protect knowledge, technologies and data from unwanted access, interference or theft.
UHN is committeed to working with our partners to ensure the integrity and quality of its research outputs. UHN's goal is to enable research activities while balancing open academic collaborations with awareness of, and compliance with, security requirements. The UHN Research Partnership Security Working Group was established to support the UHN research community in navigating this evolving area and changing landscape.
What do UHN researchers need to do?
- Federal Funding Requirements
Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern
Applies to Tri-Agency Grants, where indicated in the "Task" section of the FOA on ResearchNet, and Canada Foundation for Innovation grants (starting May 2024) Covers: Affiliations of the researchers, including team members, involved in the proposed grant activities Requirements:
Named applicants to grants involving research that advances a sensitive technology research area must attest, at the time of grant application, that all researchers involved in the activities of the grant are not affiliated with, or in receipt of funding or in-kind support, from an institution on the list of named research organizations.Applicants and their research team(s) are required to comply with the policy for the duration of the grant.What do UHN PIs need to do? UHN PIs applying to pre-registered CIHR grants (including Project Grants) will be contacted directly by the Research Grants Team.
UHN PIs applying for CIHR or CFI grants that do not require pre-registration must submit researcher attestations for each individual with a named role on the application to the Research Gratns team at least two (2) business days before the submission deadline if the grant proposed to advance a sensitive technology research area.
Links Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern
UHN Contact Christine Snidal, Manager, Research Quality Integration (christine.snidal@uhn.ca)
Research Grants Team (grants@uhn.ca)
National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships
Applies to: NSERC Alliance and Canada Foundation for Innovation grants (expect this to be applied to all federal grants involving a private sector partner)
Covers: The proposed private sector partner
Requirements: Applicants must complete and submit the Government of Canada’s Risk Assessment Form at the time of application.Successful applicants must comply with their proposed mitigation strategies, if applicable.Links UHN Contact: Christine Snidal, Manager, Research Quality Integration (christine.snidal@uhn.ca)
Research Grants Team (grants@uhn.ca)
- Provincial Funding Requirements
Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities
Applies to: Ontario Research Fund (CFI matching) and Early Researcher Award grants Covers: Collaborations and affiliations with foreign entities Requirements: Applicants are required to disclose recent and ongoing collaborations with foreign institutions and commercial entities or positions on various international committees at the time of grant application.Applicants for projects deemed high risk will have an opportunity to describe risk reduction and/or mitigation strategies that are or will be implemented. The Ministry will work with the applicants and institutions before a funding decision is made.Links Mitigating Economic and Geopolitical Risk Checklist for Ontario Research Fund Applications UHN Contact Maggie Kinyanjui, Senior Manager, Research Strategy and Operations (margaret.kinyanjui@uhn.ca) (Ontario Research Fund grants)
Maria Kannu, Senior Manager, Research Grants (maria.kannu@uhn.ca) (Early Researcher Award grants)
- Resources
Govermnent of Canada
Affiliations
Partnerships
Tri-Agency Resources
Travelling
University of Toronto
- UHN Research Partnership Security Working GroupUHN has established an internal Research Partnership Security Working Group (RPSWG) to develop and manage UHN’s approach to mitigating partnership security risks. The RPSWG:
- Reviews federal and provincial research partnership security requirements
- Answers questions related to funding-specific partnership security requirements
- Reviews high-risk partnerships and provides risk-mitigation strategies as appropriate
- Participates in a TAHSN-wide Research Partnership Security Working group that is developing common principles for applying partnership security measures across TAHSN
- Key Contacts at UHN
- Christine Snidal (christine.snidal@uhn.ca) at the UHN Research Security Working Group with any other questions regarding the policy
- Maria Kannu (maria.kannu@uhn.ca), Senior Manager, Research Grants, or the Research Grants team (grants@uhnresearch.ca) with specific questions related to upcoming Tri-Agency program grants
- Margaret Kinyanjui (margaret.kinyanjui@uhn.ca) with the StRIDe team with specific questions related to CFI grants
- Archived Communications About Research Security [Internal Connection Required]
- 2024-07-02-EVPSR Update: New Research Security Resource
- 2024-06-18-EVPSR Update: Federal Attestation Requirements
- 2024-06-12-Grants and Awards Operations Update: Research Attestation for Tri-Agency and CFI Applications
- 2024-05-03-Grants and Awards Operations Update: Research Security Criteria Launched for Tri-Agency and CFI Grants May 1
- 2024-01-30-EVPSR Update: Research Security Requirements
- 2024-01-19-Grants and Awards Operations Update: Research Security Requirements for Tri-Agency and CFI Grants
- 2023-09-12 EVPSR Update: Safeguarding Ontario's Research
- 2023-07-18 EVPSR Update:Grants with International Affiliations
International research partnerships and collaborations facilitate discovery and innovation, increase participant diversity and reinforce the validity of study findings. These collaborations are vital to UHN’s ability to achieve its research mission to together drive excellence in discovery and innovation to create Healthier World.
However, given the geopolitical climate, some partnerships may come with risks related to theft, interference, or misuse of the research outputs. It is important that UHN researchers understand and mitigate against these risks.